Campeonato Brasileiro Série A  

©TM/IMAGO

The Campeonato Brasileiro Série A is the latest league to receive an intermediary update on Transfermarkt. Overall, 152 players were updated, and once again, the spotlight in Brazil has been on some of the world’s biggest young talents. At the very top remains Chelsea’s future prospect and Palmeiras star Estêvão. The 17-year-old attacker has already scored 20 goals and provided 10 assists for the first-team, and has managed to increase his market value by a further +€5 million to €55m. The teenager will sign for Chelsea in the summer for a fee of €34m, and he’s now worth €30m more than any other player in the Brazilian top-flight.

“Estevão is and has been one of the most promising and exciting young players in Brazilian football for a while now.” explains Transfermarkt Brazil Area Manager Marcos Watts. “He has impressed people since his academy days and surely has the talent and potential to become a true Brazilian legend.” The youngster is now the second most valuable player in the history of the Brazilian Serie A, with only Endrick ever worth more – valued at €60m just before his move to Real Madrid last summer. Watts believes the sky is the limit for the teenager, “If he continues to develop the way he’s doing at Palmeiras, Estêvão should join Chelsea not only as a starter, but as one of their most exciting prospects yet.”

Another young Brazilian making waves is Flamengo full-back Wesley. Now a Brazilian international, the 21 year old has been strongly linked with a summer move to some of Europe’s top clubs including Liverpool and Barcelona. His market value rises by +€6m this March (the joint-most in the update) to a new value of €15m. “Wesley is a very offensive-minded right back who emerged from Flamengo’s academy in 2022/23 and quickly earned a place in the starting line-up,” revealed Watts. “His speed and agility make him a good athlete, allowing him to come back to defend quickly after attacking and work as a full-length winger. He’s one of the update’s biggest winners, and it seems like a matter of time until he makes a move to Europe.”

Brazilian football has always been a breeding ground for top-tier talent, and a new generation is certainly emerging ready to take the spotlight. Watts tells us more about which other youngsters to look out for: “Among the rising stars, Rayan (€13m), Breno Bidon (€12m), Lorran (€12m), and Jair Cunha (€10m) stand out as names to watch. Rayan is a dynamic forward who has already showcased his clinical finishing and dribbling ability, making him Vasco da Gama’s most exciting prospect. Bidon, playing as a ‘midfield maestro’ at Corinthians combines vision, technique, and composure in his game. Flamengo’s Lorran possesses the flair and creativity expected of a true No.10. Meanwhile, Cunha, who just signed for Botafogo, is Brazil’s new centre-back sensation, displaying impressive defensive awareness and physicality.”

33-year-old Neymar retains €15m market value

Following a miserable two years in the Saudi Pro League, in which he only made seven appearances for Al-Hilal, Brazilian legend Neymar is hoping for somewhat of a renaissance with his boyhood club Santos. The 33 year old has three goals and three assists in his first seven games and was recalled to the Brazil squad this March before picking up a knock and withdrawing. Despite his age, Neymar retains his €15m market value. That keeps him as the 14th most valuable player in the division. “Neymar’s return to Brazil has been, let’s say, underwhelming so far. For Santos, there is hope that his pursuit of greatness for club and country would be enough to bring ‘the old’ Neymar back, and for a moment it certainly felt that way… until another injury got in the way,” explains Watts.

“Performance wise, Neymar has clearly still got it, as he was Santos’ best player in almost every match he played, but it remains a question of if his body can still keep up the pace. That said, Neymar is still Neymar. If he recovers well and gets back to form, he could be a key figure for Santos and Brazil in the near future. But right now, his return feels more like a what could have been rather than a dominant comeback.” The silky Brazilian looks set to miss Santos’ opening game of the season as he continues his recovery from a thigh injury.

Palmeiras remain most valuable club, Flamengo biggest winners

Palmeiras went into the March update as the most valuable club in the Brazilian Serie A and retain that mantle, with a +€10.3m increase to their squad value this spring, taking their new total to €239m. Their most valuable stars are Estêvão (€55m), Vitor Roque (€20m), and Raphael Veiga (€17m). However, the club with the biggest squad market value increase was Rio-based Flamengo. Their squad value rose by +€17.9m to a new figure of €219m. 

How Transfermarkt market values work

The Transfermarkt market values are calculated, taking into account various pricing models. A major factor is the Transfermarkt community, whose members discuss and evaluate player market values in detail. In general, the Transfermarkt market values are not to be equated with transfer fees. 

The goal is not to predict a price but an expected value of a player in a free market. Both individual transfer modalities and situational conditions are relevant in determining market values. Examples of this are listed below. Transfermarkt does not use an algorithm (you can find the detailed market value definition here).